As population increases and land becomes more valuable, cremation has become more popular in the United States and around the world. For environmental reasons, it is preferred to use only materials that are fully combustible and non-toxic when cremating a body. For this purpose, cardboard containers have been created. The current cardboard containers are configured similar to a standard cardboard box. However, if a funeral service is held, the appearance of the container holding the body is important. For most people, the current cardboard container designs are insufficient in appearance for a service. Therefore, the cardboard containers are typically only used when a funeral service will not be held.
Another alternative is to use a rental casket for the funeral service and use a disposable insert that is taken out with the body and cremated. However, rental caskets are still quite expensive and shipping considerations may make it difficult or prohibitively expensive to use.
There are also several versions of caskets that use fiberboard or other materials. However, these versions have one or more of the following problems: non-combustible hinges, inadequate appearance for a funeral service, high shipping costs and/or limited availability areas.
Therefore, there is a clear need in the industry for an environmentally-friendly, entirely combustible, cremation casket that can be shipped economically, while maintaining a suitable appearance for a funeral service.